Clare is an artist, so it’s no surprise that when she was ready to create a new home for herself she planned every detail down to the millimeter.

But that was also a necessity because the entire “house” is less than 20 feet long!

At 64-years-old, she decided it was time to downsize her life and hit the open road. Now, she lives full time and off the grid in her 2016 turbo diesel Fiat Ducato van, powered by solar and lithium systems.

While she’s named it “The Mouse House,” the vehicle is outfitted with a kitchen, bathroom, office, and bed!

From the outside, it looks like a normal van. But when the door slides open, you can see that it’s a beautiful little home.

It even has little windows that open for some fresh air when Clare parks to relax.

Using a few special pieces from her former home, she’s managed to create an office right inside the “front” door. By simply pulling out a shelf, a large iMac monitor completes her “office space.”

She can stand or sit at the desk, depending on her mood.

On her artist’s salary, the small and beautiful van sure beats having a too-big house and mortgage for Clare.

So long, extra, unused bedrooms and hello freedom!

After selling her house, she bought the empty van for roughly $17.5k and found people who would help her turn it into a piece of art. Then, she put another $30k into making her dream into a reality.

She said: “I needed it so that every time I walked in I liked it.” And she does!

It took her over a year of looking at books and magazines and websites on tiny houses to get enough inspiration for her design, but she couldn’t be happier with it.

She even has the first photo she ever drew of what she imagined she could create.

But Clare doesn’t even have to feel like she’s living in a van thanks to a tiny door next to her desk that obscures the cab of the vehicle.

Meanwhile, the kitchen in the van is quite elaborate since Clare loves to cook.

And she’s found several clever ways to creates storage space – in fact, it looks like she has room for a few extras even though she’s packed in tight.

One of the most elaborate things in the modest home? The cutlery drawer!

“I couldn’t let everything go,” Clare says of her overflowing silver drawer.

In order to figure out the minimum of what she would need to live comfortably, Clare wrote down everything she did in a normal day, then paired her life down to the necessities.

But she made sure to keep all of the things she would miss if she didn’t have them.

As for the bathroom, it’s incredible how Clare managed to fit it into the van. A composting toilet and a shower (where she can even hang up a shower curtain) are hidden away in the most unlikely place.

Her sitting area, “dining room,” and even a little library are cleverly tucked away for when they’re needed as well.

The whole project has helped Clare live more intentionally. She’s now conscious of how much water and energy she uses (because she can so easily run out).

In the end, the van has been a great decision for Clare and she encourages others thinking about making a vehicle their home to “do it, but plan it.” Thinking ahead was the key to making it all work.

Be sure to scroll down to see just how elaborate the van is on the inside.

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Source: Jordan Osmond via YouTube